There Is No Justification For Drunk Driving.

[Newell Steamer]

When I've been drunk, I've sometimes tried to imagine driving. And, I am horrified to think that someone would feel they can pull it off.

Also, I've been wasted well enough to realize I am in no state to make sound judgement or again, even drive.

Personally, I can't find any reason to hop into a car and drive off while drunk. Yet, it happens with other people.

#1, I would not get wasted if I was driving. #2, if I was driving and needed to get home, I would find some other mode of transport. #3, if there is no mode of transport, then I sleep it off in the car.

What possesses someone to do such a thing?

Repost. http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=2432927
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[Rakehellion]

There's no justification for it, but there are lots of reasons for it.

 

[IronWing]

Breathalyzer/immobilizers are stupid. Breathalyzer/runs-driver-through-with-long-knife-built-into-steering-column is smart.

 

[Rakehellion]

When I've been drunk, I've sometimes tried to imagine driving. And, I am horrified to think that someone would feel they can pull it off.

Also, I've been wasted well enough to realize I am in no state to make sound judgement or again, even drive.

Unless you're trashed, it's pretty difficult for a person to tell how drunk they are, especially with the impaired judgment. People don't walk around with breathalyzers.

 

[Newell Steamer]

Unless you're trashed, it's pretty difficult for a person to tell how drunk they are, especially with the impaired judgment. People don't walk around with breathalyzers.

For me, impaired judgement leads to eating a dozen donuts by myself - not getting behind the wheel of a 4,000 lb machine and driving off.

I probably feel different than other folks who get drunk. But, I honestly can't imagine being wasted and thinking to myself; "Yeah, I'll get on the highway and drive 80mph with no issues - I can totes do this."

 

[Humpy]

There has to be some justification for drunk driving. Lots of emergency scenarios that would work.

 

[Rakehellion]

For me, impaired judgement leads to eating a dozen donuts by myself - not getting behind the wheel of a 4,000 lb machine and driving off.

I probably feel different than other folks who get drunk. But, I honestly can't imagine being wasted and thinking to myself; "Yeah, I'll get on the highway and drive 80mph with no issues - I can totes do this."

You might not know how drunk you are. Do you stop after two drinks? Five? What if they're spread out over several hours? It isn't so black-and-white.

 

[Rakehellion]

There has to be some justification for drunk driving. Lots of emergency scenarios that would work.

It's an emergency that I gotta get home with this smoking hot broad. Heyyyyyyy!

 

[SlitheryDee]

There has to be some justification for drunk driving. Lots of emergency scenarios that would work.

I imagine this is a fairly common scenario:

You and your buddy are drunk. Buddy shoots himself in the nuts while demonstrating his quickdraw technique. You drive buddy to the hospital while drunk.

Substitute quickdraw technique with basically anything stupid people do while drunk.

 

[s0me0nesmind1]

There is no justification for "Drunk Driving". The problem simply boils down to "What is drunk driving"?

If you are too intoxicated to remember doing it, then yes, you OBVIOUSLY hit that limit. If you had 2 drinks over a 4 hour dinner - some stupid people here will say that you shouldn't drive. Other people that are logical in life would realize that the body processes approx 1 drink (worth of alcohol) every hour. You should have absolutely no issues driving, but by all means - feel free to not be stupid and just sit in the right lane instead of speeding in and out of the lanes on a crowded highway.

 

[EOM]

For most it's a matter of convenience not having to pick up their car in the morning after taking a cab home.

I've slept in the car many nights. Never driven drunk. 99% of the time I go into the night knowing if I have to drive home or not and limit myself accordingly.

 

[sourceninja]

I agree that one should never drive drunk. That said it seems that the current culture is you should never drive after having even 1 3% beer. That I do not agree with. Many of us know our limits and can drink responsibly and drive home.

I can drink 2-3 beers over 2-3 hours and be 100% just fine. The only issue is the state feels that is a DUI for my weight.

 

[s0me0nesmind1]

I agree that one should never drive drunk. That said it seems that the current culture is you should never drive after having even 1 3% beer. That I do not agree with. Many of us know our limits and can drink responsibly and drive home.

I can drink 2-3 beers over 2-3 hours and be 100% just fine. The only issue is the state feels that is a DUI for my weight.

Incorrect.

The body can process 1 drink every 1 hour. If you drink 3 drinks over the course of 3 hours, unless you shotgunned a beer just before heading out on the road you would likely not test > .08 on a breathalyzer.

If you DID, it would the folly of WHY YOU SHOULD NEVER BLOW. Did I mention, DO NOT BLOW?

 

[sourceninja]

Incorrect.

The body can process 1 drink every 1 hour. If you drink 3 drinks over the course of 3 hours, unless you shotgunned a beer just before heading out on the road you would likely not test > .08 on a breathalyzer.

If you DID, it would the folly of WHY YOU SHOULD NEVER BLOW. Did I mention, DO NOT BLOW?

1 drink an hour?

How much booze is in that one drink? Is that one 3% beer? One 10% beer? Is that 1 32oz beer or 1 8oz beer? Is that one pint of whiskey a drink?

Maybe you should understand that is an average and the human body processes alcohol and varying rates, but is roughly about 1.5oz of 80 proof liquor an hour. That means that 1 drink is often not 1 drink! Especially craft beer. So based on that forumla, my average craft beer is 16oz and 7.5% abv and "1 drink" is 12oz of 5% beer. So I'm legally blowing between .05 and .08. On top of that, anything over .02 can still get you 'wet reckless' driving. If you hold a commercial license then that limit is not .08, but .04 (If you drive commercially you apparently can't hold your liquor). That is a risk to harsh to take.

Now let's look at your NEVER BLOW advice. I live in a state where refusing to take a breathalyzer is a 1 year suspension of your driving privileges. That seems like a great idea! The 2nd time you refuse is a 2 year suspension and so on.

The point is the law is very crazy in this regard and very life altering should you get caught. So don't drink anything and drive until you are sure you are well under the legal limit.

 

[s0me0nesmind1]

1 drink an hour?

How much booze is in that one drink? Is that one 3% beer? One 10% beer? Is that 1 32oz beer or 1 8oz beer? Is that one pint of whiskey a drink?

Maybe you should understand that is an average and the human body processes alcohol and varying rates, but is roughly about 1.5oz of 80 proof liquor an hour. That means that 1 drink is often not 1 drink! Especially craft beer. So based on that forumla, my average craft beer is 16oz and 7.5% abv and "1 drink" is 12oz of 5% beer. So I'm legally blowing between .05 and .08. On top of that, anything over .02 can still get you 'wet reckless' driving. If you hold a commercial license then that limit is not .08, but .04 (If you drive commercially you apparently can't hold your liquor). That is a risk to harsh to take.

Now let's look at your NEVER BLOW advice. I live in a state where refusing to take a breathalyzer is a 1 year suspension of your driving privileges. That seems like a great idea! The 2nd time you refuse is a 2 year suspension and so on.

The point is the law is very crazy in this regard and very life altering should you get caught. So don't drink anything and drive until you are sure you are well under the legal limit.

That is 1 drink, and local police have advised multiple times what that one drink is...

1 Drink = 1 Glass of Wine = 1 12oz Beer (Typical beer such as Budweiser, Coors, etc... OBVIOUSLY not referring to the 10%+ ABV craft beers) = 1 Mixed Beverage (IE: Jack and Coke, usually with liquors consisting of ~40% ABV)

Also, to put this lightly - You're a complete moron. Sorry, but it's true. I have never been pulled over for drinking. I've never done a breathalyzer. I haven't been pulled over for anything but speeding in my college years 6+ years ago. But ANYONE who isn't a moron will tell you. DO NOT give over evidence. It's 100% stupid. Especially for a device that could very well be flawed.

 

[K7SN]

List of reasons is short: D

Driving a car on a controlled vacant lot around cones while you get inebriated and demonstrating that even two beers will impair one's reaction time. You know a Mythbuster type analyses (How many cones did you get this time).

I suppose I could come up with more situations; A drunk German soldier when he saw 4,000 ships approaching a Normandy might have be justified in driving far enough to tell someone the impending disaster; a drunk buggy driver might have saved some of the off the 2,209 people died. on May 31, 1889.

There are no absolutes; common sense says anyone who is so MADD as to say there is no justification just isn't thinking correctly; there might be one in a million that had legitimate reason but doesn't change the fact that it is stupid, dangerous and illegal the other 999,999 times it occurs. OP probably checked the fourth choice.

 

[sourceninja]

That is 1 drink, and local police have advised multiple times what that one drink is...

1 Drink = 1 Glass of Wine = 1 12oz Beer (Typical beer such as Budweiser, Coors, etc... OBVIOUSLY not referring to the 10%+ ABV craft beers) = 1 Mixed Beverage (IE: Jack and Coke, usually with liquors consisting of ~40% ABV)

And it doesn't hold up to the modern bar and doesn't change the fact that your advice of refusing to take a breathalyzer can in many states automatically get your license suspended for 1+ years. I said I drink 2-3 beers in 2-3 hours, you called me out and said I'd be sober. You were incorrect.

 

[JulesMaximus]

There is no justification for texting while driving either.

 

[Humpy]

I imagine this is a fairly common scenario:

You and your buddy are drunk. Buddy shoots himself in the nuts while demonstrating his quickdraw technique. You drive buddy to the hospital while drunk.

Substitute quickdraw technique with basically anything stupid people do while drunk.

Yep, that could work.

Also there is the stuff that happens anyway, like heart attacks and strokes, if you're just sitting around the cabin with dad.

This thread sucks.

It would have been better if it was something like "There are 8 crayons in an 8 crayon box. Correct or Incorrect?".

 

[CraKaJaX]

This thread sucks.

Winner

 

[Phokus]

I can think of one.

Say there's a zombie apocalpyse and you were just bitten. You drink to dull the pain and there's a zombie horde chasing you. You jump in a car to escape. See, i found a justification for drunk driving

 

[Dr. Zaus]

I feel sympathy for someone driving after x drinks in y hours and not 'feeling' intoxicated.

More sympathy the fewer lights or stop signs passed.

Still, my wife DDs if i'm drinking because she's a tea totaler.